Stephane Bardin
Owner · Consumer Catalyst
San Diego, CA
In My Own Words
Globally-savvy strategic marketing and innovation executive with 15 years of experience in translating business needs and key insights into effective marketing initiatives and actionable, scalable products that deliver value to end users while driving sales and growth for leading and growing companies, large and small, in the U.S. and abroad. I am a passionate self-starter noted for collaborative and team-oriented leadership who can roll-up my sleeves to get results.
I am specifically adept at driving topline growth through strategically integrated and effective brand-building marketing plans that synergistically maximize the impact of both online/social/influencer and traditional marketing campaigns to deliver results and gain alignment with senior leadership.
With a mindset of looking at all facets of the business needs and a deep understanding of consumers, I have helped companies translate insights into scalable new product innovation and commercialization to achieve bottom-line growth and reposition brands to gain strategic share of markets.
Work Experience
Owner
Consumer Catalyst2019 – Present
Consumer Catalyst helps brands scale up by developing consumer value to drive growth. From crafting a brand that your consumers will love to helping you be intentional how you go to market and develop new products that build your brand and create consumer loyalty, we are here to help you drive growth and scale.
Director of Marketing & Emerging Categories
BUMBLE BEE FOODS2014 – 2019
- a $1B manufacturer of shelf-stable protein foods (tuna, seafood, chicken) • Drove 9.6% topline growth in a 10% share business against massive competition through an integrated activation marketing and promotional plan to support key product portfolio and drive loyalty. • Lead digital marketing for Bumble Bee brand through all social media channels, SEO, influencer marketing, eCommerce • Managed agency partners on creation of integrated marketing plans to support new launches including advertising, consumer promotion, public relations, digital, social and shopper marketing • Managed P&L, marketing operating budget, short and long-term brand strategy and equity, brand voice, brand architecture, brand plan for new products, including trade marketing, consumer marketing and sales. • Built unassailable consumer-centric brand strategy for Wild Selections against #1 competitor with 10-year sales lead and maintained #2 brand spot through exclusive partnership with WWF and promoted with targeted, integrated marketing plan, new product roadmap, social media engagement, influencer marketing and in-store activation. • Lead product strategy, innovation roadmap, market segmentation, assessing market potential using IRI syndicated sales data and consumer insight research, market forecast and production plans, using Stage Gate and Lean Startup principles, and commercialization to identify strategic portfolio opportunities and value proposition to successfully commercialize scalable product ideas.
Sr. Marketing Director
Designer Protein2012 – 2014
• Repositioned brand against growing female fitness market with major print advertising campaign and athlete endorsement to relaunch brand, increase brand penetration and build momentum with trade, resulting in 2% sales growth in year 1. • Developed online strategy to build a more approachable, interactive brand among consumers with value-add website and social media platform management. • Drove bottom-line growth by launching two new high-GM products, and building delivery platforms for continued growth in a highly entrepreneurial environment with limited resources. • Collaborated with Sales to develop pricing strategy. • Managed four direct reports.
Marketing Director
BUMBLE BEE FOODS2006 – 2012
- a $1B manufacturer of shelf-stable protein foods (tuna, seafood, chicken) • Spearheaded $600K consumer online engagement program to build lifetime consumer affinity with Bumble Bee brand. • Led restructuring of online brand presence; revamping coupon strategy, creating a community for sharing recipes and cooking tips, developing comprehensive social media outreach via Facebook, food blogs, influencers and Twitter. • Managing long-term new product innovation pipeline using research & analysis of consumer insights and BASES. • Expanded consumer base and increased profit margins with innovative meal kits for hotels and school lunches. • Managing two direct reports. Senior Brand Manager • Created Bumble Bee Food's most far reaching and aggressive consumer promotion and community: $1.5M "BeeWell For Life®" to re-position Bumble Bee as socially responsible health & wellness brand. • Identified and saved $100K through SKU optimization and packaging consolidation across all product lines. • Managed packaging updates, new packaging configuration and creative development, in-store elements. • Negotiated partnerships with American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Y-ME breast cancer organization.
Marketing Consultant
IMAK PRODUCTS2005 – 2006
- A domestic start-up manufacturer of consumer ergonomic and orthopedic products • Designed and managed new product development to generate $500K of new revenue with introduction of three new products.
Account Supervisor
TRACY LOCKE2003 – 2005
- A $125M sales promotion agency, ranked #12 in the United States • Drove $500K incremental agency revenue by architecting and leading cross-functional team to develop virtual CMM service. • Managed integrated marketing programs for Pepsi's Aquafina, Mountain Dew, Starbucks, Sierra Mist, Tropicana Juice Drinks, Tropicana Twister Soda, Lipton BRISK in grocery, drug, and mass merchandiser retail and foodservice accounts.
Senior Account Executive
LMC GROUP2001 – 2002
- A leading sales promotion marketing agency • Increased sell-through for Nestle Stouffers, Kraft and Pfizer products at retail via marketing programs.
Senior Account Executive
EINSON FREEMAN1999 – 2000
- A top ten integrated sales promotion agency. • Developed Unilever's most successful promotion for Dove soap. • Lead GSK's best product launch promotion for Lymerix vaccine and Pfizer's Prevnar 13 vaccine with $500MM sales.
Account Executive
DDB Needham1998 – 1999
- A $2.8B global advertising agency, #1 in the world. • Managed consumer analysis and advertising positioning development to re-launch of McDonald's line of chicken sandwiches.
Account Director
DDB Needham CHINA1995 – 1998
DDB NEEDHAM, Hong Kong/China - A $2.8B global advertising agency, #1 in the world. • Managed a successful 3-year product initiative and $500K pan-China media campaign to drive Budweiser Beer to #1 position in foreign beer brand recognition in China by developing advertising and marketing initiatives for the brand. • Launched Hasbro Play-Doh product extensions, to gain market share and pre-empt competitors and counterfeiting. • Developed advertising to launch AkzoNobel hormone replacement treatment in China.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (UCLA)1989 – 1994
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
Master of Business Administration
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO2008 – 2010
Master of Business Administration